Research

Susan E. Cross

Susan E. Cross, Professor of Psychology, is a social-cultural psychologist who conducts research on the dynamics of cultures of honor, cultural perspectives on close relationships, and self-construal. She has published in Psychological Bulletin, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Personality and Social Psychology Review, among others, and she served as an Associate Editor of Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin. She is a Fellow of the Association for Psychological Science, the Society for Experimental Social Psychology, and the Society for Personality and Social Psychology. Her research has been funded by the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, and the Spencer Foundation.

Research Interests

How do people define themselves, and what difference does one’s self-definition make? How does culture shape beliefs and practices regarding self and close relationships? Why is honor so important in some parts of the world? Susan E. Cross’s research program weaves together three central dimensions of human experience — self and identity, close relationships, and culture — to address these critical questions about human behavior. In particular, her research investigates the psychological consequences of cultures of honor (especially Turkey and the US South), close relationships in East Asian contexts, and cultural variation in self-views.